Nnamdi Kanu Trial: Follow Rule Of Law, N’Delta Stakeholders Tell FG
Niger-Delta stakeholders, Friday, demanded the Federal Government follow the rule of law on the trial of the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, re-arrested, last weekend, by the Federal Government.
Mba Uwkeni, SAN, said in Calabar, Cross-River State, said: “He jumped bail during his trial and the government went after him and brought him back to face trial, there is nothing unconstitutional about that.”
Activist and publisher of Cross River Watch, Agba Jalingo, asserted: ” I know for once that Kanu is not a terrorist, all those charges are simply trumped up. His arrest and extradition would go down in history as one of the fastest considering the suspension of Twitter and all that.”
“His arrest also goes to show that the Nigerian government knows the whereabouts of anyone and anybody they are looking for, just that there are people on their list who they believe can alter the polity of the system and that of the political/ruling class.
” If not, how come for so long they could not capture Shekau not until ISWAP allegedly killed him, but within how many weeks after the issue of Twitter, Kanu was suddenly arrested and brought back to Nigeria to face trial on terrorism and other 4 charges.
“What we are saying is simple, even from now till the 26 of July and beyond, he should be treated like a human being and nothing should happen to him, also his fundamental human rights must not in any way be trampled on.
“Whether they arrest him or not, Biafra is now bigger than what it was before now, Kanu is not just speaking his mind alone but that of a lot of people from the south-east, so whatever happens, they should not make the mistake of not following the rule of law,” Agba said.
Speaking in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, ex-militant leader, Imoh Okoko, said: “There is nothing wrong with his arrest. But to me, the government should give him a fair trial. We are not part of the Biafra secessionists. He is a human being like all of us. When people are making statements, they should mind what they say. He has made some statements that even I am not comfortable with.”
“When you make certain statements like ‘shoot on sight, when something happens, whether you are behind it or not, they will put the blame on you. I am not against IPoB saying that they need Biafra, anybody has the right to agitate for what they want, but when you carry arms or give people instructions to carry arms it is wrong.
“We need unity in Nigeria whether the government favours us or not. I do not support the killings, destruction and so on. So, if the government arrest him, fine, but let the government give him a fair trial. He is a citizen of Nigeria, let him explain himself, and let the court decide whether he is guilty or not”
